Circuit-controller.



R. C. LEAKE.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPucmon FILED MAY 29. me. RENEWED AUG. 21.1918.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L cg m X ATTORNEY R. C. LEAKE.

CIRCUH' CONTROLLER.

- 1 APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. ms. RENEWED AUG. 2!. 1918. 1,283,226.

Patent-ed Oct. 29, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 M INVENTOR H70 IVE) m: non: urn: c0. Mora-mum wAsunnJoN, n c.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD C. LEAKE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES, NEV7 YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Application filed May 29, 1916, Serial No. 100,676. Renewed August 21, 1818.

To all waom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD C. LEAKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Circuit-Controller, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to circuit controllers, and more particularly to circuit controllers which have an intermediate positicn and two operated positions. This type of circuit controller is commonly used in what is known in the railway signaling art as a three-position relay; but the novel features of this invention may be availed of advantageously in three-position circuit controllers of other forms.

One object of the invention is to provide a circuit controller, the parts of which are so constructed and arranged that when it is moved continuously fromeither one of its operated positions to the other of its operated positions a circuit, which is closed by the circuit controller when it is at rest in its intermediate or biased postion, is not closed.

Another object of the invention is to con struct a circuit controller of the type above mentioned in which the principle of inertia is utilized to prevent the closing of a circuit, which but for it would be closed by the circuit controller in the intermediate position, when a continuous movement is given to the circuit cont-roller from either oper-- ated position to the other of said operated positions.

Another object of the invention is to obtain the above mentioned objects by a construction which may be easily and inexpensively made and which is not likely to get out. of order Or adjustment.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention progresses, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings. wherein I have illustrated the preferred physical embodiment of my invention, and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the essential elements of a construction embodying my invention and shows one arrange- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

Serial No. 250,880.

ment of circuits in connection with a light signal which may be controlled by the circuit controller, the contact fingers being in the intermediate or biased position; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 except that the contact fingers are shown in one of the operated positions of which the circuit controller is capable of assuming and the operating sector and counterweights have been omitted; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 except that the contact fingers are shown in the other of the operated positions which the circuit. controller is capable of assuming.

Referring to Fig. l; 1 designates a pinion which may be driven in any suitable or appropriate manner, as by the armature shaft of a relay motor, such for instance as is shown by the patent to Willis 15. Rice, granted February 28th, 1911, and numbered 985,705. The pinion 1 meshes with a sector 2 which is fastened to a block 8 through which passes a shaft at, the ends 5 of which, only one being shown, are cone shaped and are inserted in any suitable fixed bearings,

not shown, so that the sector 2 and the shaft 1- may oscillate. Upon the shaft 4 are loosely supported arms 7 and 8 which have at their outer ends weights 9 and 10 respectively. Each of these arms '7 and 8 has a projecting portion 11 resting on the upper face of a lip or lug 6 integral with the block The lower edge of each of weights 9 and 10 is flattened, forming a face, as indicated by the numeral 13, which faces rest upon bosses 1 on a base plate 15 when the weights are in their lower position.

Attached to the block 3 is an upstanding arm 16 which is pivotally connected by the pin 1'7 with an arm 18; and the arm 18 is attached in any convenient manner as by screws #17, (not shown) to a. contact carrying block 19 of suitable insulating material. The contact carrying block 19 is pivoted at each end as by means of pivot pins 21, only one of these pins 21 being shown, which pivot pins 21 are journaled in supports 22, a fragment of one being shown.

The contact carrying block 19 carries a number of contact fingers 28, 33 and 3'7 but since the way in which these contact fingers are connected to said block is the same. in the case of each contact finger, a description of one will sufiice for all. These contact fingers 28. 33 and 37 are arranged to cooperate with suitable fixed contact posts 41, 42, 40 and 39, which may, be supported in any convenient manner, as for instance, in a relay casing (not shown) certain circuits, one arrangement of which is shown and will be described hereinafter. To theupper face'of the contact carrying block 19 near one end thereof is fastened in any appropriate manner, a member 23. the end portions of which are bentup and notched to form two knife edge'bearings 24' and 25; and the contact finger 28 rests on this member 23 and is formed with two humps 29 and 30 which press against the knife edge bearings 24 and 25. A screw 26 is threaded into the member 23 and interposed between the head of the screw 26 and the upper face of the contact finger 28 is a compression spring 27, the tension of the spring 27 being adjusted by means of the screw 26 in an obvious manner. To the end of the finger 28 a contact member 31 is fastened as by means of rivets 32. By referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the pressure'exerted by the spring 27 on the contact finger 28 will cause the contact 31 at the end of contact finger 28 to be pressed against its contact post 41. The contact finger 33 is similarly connected to the contact carrying block 19 and is constructed in a manner similar to the contact fing r 28,

except that. the contact finger 33 has two contact members 34 and 35 fastened thereto by means of rivets 36. The other contact finger 37 is similarly constructed and mounted on the contact carryingbl0ck19, except that the contact finger 37 is mounted on the underside of the contact carrying block 19. A flexible connector 38 electrically connects the ends of the contact fingers 28 and 37.

Anf arm 43 extends laterally from the contact carrying bloc; 19 and is hired thereto' by means of the screws 20. Pivotally supported in the outer end of the arm 43 by means of pivot pin 44 is an inertia member or lever 45 having weighted ends 46. In the particular construction shown said weighted ends 46 are of the same weight and are at equal distances from the axis of said inertia member or lever 45 so as to tend to balance the inertia member 45 so that it does not tend to move of itself about the pivot pin 44. Rigidly fastened to the inertia member 45 are shouldered pins 48 and 49 which in the device as shown are placed at equal distances Ion each side of the pin 44. Pivotally connected to said pins 48 and: 49 are links 50 and 51, respeetively, which pass throughslots F 2 and respectively, in the contact fingers 28 and 37, respectively. Brackets. 54 and 55 are fixed to contact fingers 28 and 37, respectively, adjacent to the slots 52 and 53, respectively, by means of riveted pins 56. shouldered pins 57 and 58 are fixed at the end of each of the brackets 54 and 55 re spectively and the other end of each of these pins is pivotally connected to the links 50 and 51, respectively. A stop pin 59 is fixed to the arm 43 and limits the move ment of the inertia member in one direction. A stop arm 76 is fixed to the under side of the arm 43 in any convenient manner as by screws 77 and limits the movement oi the inertia member 45in the opposite direction. .The stop pin 59 and the stop arm 76 also tend to obviate any difficulty that might arise from anobjectional rebound of the inertia member 45 due to the resiliency of the springs 27 and 75.

In Fig. l the device is shown inihe intermediate or biased position, in which the circuit for the red lamp R is closed, and this circuit may be traced as follows: Commencing at one terminal of the battery 63, wires 64 and 65, contact post 41, contact member 31, contact finger 28, flexible connector 38, contact finger 37 and its contact member, contact post 42, wire 66, lamp R and wires 67 and 68 back to the other terminal of the battery 63.

In Fi 2 the device is shown moved to one of its operated positions, which in this case is the extreme upper position, and in this position a circuit for the green lamp G is closed. This circuit may be traced as follows: Commencing at one terminal of the battery 63, wires 64 and 69, contact finger 33, contact member 35, contact post 40, wire 70, lamp G and wires 71, 72 and (38 back to the other terminal of battery '63.

In Fig. 3 the device is shown moved to the other of its operated positions which in this case is the extremelower position and in this position a circuit for the yellow lamp Y is closed. This circuit may be traced as fol lows: Commencing at one terminal of the battery 63, wires 84 and69, contact finger 33, contact member. 34, contact post 39, wire 7 3, lamp Y and wires 74, 72 and 68 back to the other terminal of the battery 63.

It will be apparent from the preceding description that when the'circuit controller is in one of its operated positions the green lamp G is lighted, when the circuit controller is in the other of its operated positions the yellow lamp Y is lighted and when the circuit controller is in its intermediate or biased position the red lamp R is lighted. Since a difierent colored lamp will be lighted 'forfeach position of the circuit controller, it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art of railway signaling that this device may be used to good advantage for conveying information tothe operator of a traininregard to how he should control that train and as 1s well known by those skilled in the signaling art the circuit controller shown and described may constitute a part of a relay which can be so constructed and connect-- ed to track circuits and circuits controlled thereby that the circuit controller may be caused to assume any one of the three dif ferent positions above mentioned according to the presence of a train on one or more of thesetrack circuits. In one form of a signaling system to which this invention may be advantageously applied the red lamp R is lighted when a train occupies a track section immediately ahead or next in advance of the signal, the yellow lamp Y is lighted when this train has proceeded into the second track section in advance, and the green lamp G is lighted when the train has proceeded beyond the second track section in advance.

In the normal operation of such a signaling system as above described where it is necessary to pass from one extreme posit-ion where the yellow lamp is lighted denoting caution to the other extreme position where the green lamp is lighted denoting clear, it may well happen that with a relay capable of closing a circuit for a red lamp denoting dangefi in the intermediate position unless some precaution is taken to prevent it, that an o aerator on an approaching train may see a yellow light shining in a signal and may be expecting to see the yellow lightextinguished and a green lamp lighted, but instead he ma see a momentary flash of a red lamp and is consequently confused, and in order to obviate such an occurrence the invention hereinabove described has been constructed.

By reference to the different figures of the drawings it can be seen that during this sequence of movements, the circuit controller passes from the extreme lower position where the circuit for the yellow lamp Y is closed to the extreme upper position Where the circuit for the green lamp G is closed; and to do this it is necessary to pass through the intermediate position. Owing to this fact one of the objections to the use of three position circuit controllers for light signals is that the circuit formed in the intermediate position is momentarily closed, thereby causing an objectionable flash of the red lamp R included in that circuit. The object of this invention'is to overcome this objection in a simple and reliable manner.

Referring to the operation of the circuit controller shown and described in detail; when no turning torque is exerted on the shaft, to which the pinion 1 is fixed, the parts of the circuit controller assume the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the circuit for the red lamp R- is closed. l/Vhen turning torque is exerted on the pinion 1 in one direction the parts of the circuit controller are moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, and when the turning torque exerted in the other direction said parts are moved to the position shown in Fig. 3. Referring first to the movement of the parts of the circuit controller from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. When the pinion 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow a, the sector 2 will move in the direction of the arow Z) and consequently the arm 16 will move downwardly in the direction of the arrow cansing the contact carrying block 19 to rock counterclockwise on its pivot pins 21. The contact finger 33 being spring pressed against its bearings will rock with the block 19 and contact member 35 will make contact with contact post l0 '9. a manner fully shown and described in the United States patent to W. K. Howe, granted March 5th, 1912 and numbered 1,019,047. The contact finger 28 being similarly mounted on the block 19 will also tend to move in a like manner, but since this contact spring is already in contact with the post 4:1 in the intermediate position, the contact fin 'er 28 instead of being lifted will have no upward movement at its contact end and have only a slight upward movement at its bearing end.

is the contact carrying block 19 rocks counterclockwise the contact fingers 28 and arev moved bodily to the left for a small distance, thereby causing a slight sliding movement of the contact members 31 and respectively to their respective contact posts 41 and t0, so as to improve the electrical contact between said contact pieces and said contact posts. As the block 19 is rocked COHHtQlClOCkWlS6 on its axis the contact finger 37 will be carried with said block 19 and contact finger 37 will move out of contact with post 522 and closer to the contact finger 28. The arm 43, being fixed to the block 19, turns with it and consequently pivot pin elwill move upwardly carrying with it inertia member 45. The end of the link which is connected to the bracket 51 which is fixed to the now imn'iovable contact finger 28, re mains stationary and consequently as the middle of the inertia member 45 is raised, it is turned about its axis in the direction of the arrow (Z.

The inertia member being turned about its axis in the direction of the arrow (Z, will cause pin to to be raised and will lift the contact finger 37 through the medium of the lin 51, the pin 58 and the bracket thereby causing the finger 37 to rock slightly farther and to be brought a little closer to the finger 28, to the position shown in Fig. 2, the upward movement of said finger 87 being arrested when the weighted end 46 of the inertia member 45 strikes the stop pin 59. as shown in Fig. 2.

During the above described movement of the sector 2 to the right in the direction indicated by arrow 5, the left hand edge of the lip 6 integral with the block 3 is raised, carrying with it the arm 7 and its weight 9, so that if the turning torque on the pinion 1 ceases, the weight 9 returns the sector 2 to its middle position as shown in Fig. 1 and bringsthe parts back to the position shown in Fig. 1. In other words, the circuit controller is biased to assume its intermediate position shown in Fig. 1. A complete description of the operation of the sector and its counterweights may be found in the above mentioned patent to WV. K. Howe, granted March 5th, 1912, and numbered 1,019,047.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the movement above described will cause the circuit for the red lamp R which was previously closed in the intermediate position of the circuit controller, as shown in Fig. 1, to be broken and the circuit for the green lamp G to be closed. This last mentioned circuit will remain closed and the green lamp will remain lighted as long as a. turning torque is exerted in the direction indicated b the arrow a on the shaft on which pinion 1 is mounted.

Referring now to the operation of the parts during the movement of the circuit controller from the operated position shown in Fig. 2 to the operated position shown in Fig. 3, when the pinion 1 is rotated'in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow It, in Fig. 1, the sector 2 will move in the direction opposite to the directionindi-v cated by the arrow Z), being assisted by the weight 9, which has been previously lifted, until said weight comes to rest in the middle position or" said sector, and will lift the link 16-and rock the contact carrying block 19 clockwise to the position shown in Fig. 3.

During this movement of the sector 2the lip 6 integral with'the block 3 raises the arm 8 and its weight 10 so that the parts of the circuit controller tend to assume their intermediate position as soon as the turning torque ceases, in the same wayand for the same reason as hereinbefore pointed out.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that contact member 35 on the contact finger 33 by the above'described movement has broken contact with the contact post 40, thereby interrupting the circuit for lighting the green lamp G and that the contact member 34: also on the contact finger 33 has made contact a with contact post 39 thus establishing the circuit for lighting the yellow light Y. It is also to be noted byret'erring to Figs. '2 and 3 that contact fingers 28 and in traveling fromi'one extreme position to the other or" said extreme positions have remained in practically the same relative position and that in Fig. 3 the weighted end d6 of the in-. 'ertia "member 45 still rests upon the stop pin 59.

vAs the circuit controller moves from one and to assume the position shown in Fig. 1, but in order that the contact fingers 28 and 37 may move apart from their contracted position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 it is necessary for the inertia member to turn about pin'l l, and in accordance with the well known principle of inertia, it is apparent that a little tlmeis required to set the 111-' ertia member into motion and move it from I the position shown in Figs. 2 and .3 to the position shown in Fig. 1. The weighted ends 46 and the other parts are so proportioned that the time required for the inertia member 45 to be overcome by'the action of the springs 27 and on the contact fingers 28 and 37 is greater than the time required for the circuit controller to move from one extreme position to the other of said extreme positions, so that the contact fingers 28 and 37 will not spread apart far enough to touch the contact posts ll and L2 and permit the circuit that is formed in the intermediate position to be closed as the circuit controller passes through its intermediate position. As the contact finger 37 comes in contact with post d2, its continued downward movement causes the link 51 to turn the lever 45 about its axis in the direction indicated by the arrow (Z and exert a pull on the link 51 which will draw the contact finger 28 toward the contact finger 37 as before described until the weighted end 46 of the inertia member i5 comes to rest against thestop pin 59.

It is possible to make the weighted ends a6 of the inertia member 45 of such weight that there would be practically no movement of the inertia member 45 in moving from either extreme position to the other extreme position, but it is contemplated that these weights will be made as light as it is possible to make them without permitting the contact fingers 28 and 37 to spread apart far enough to close the circuit in the intermediate' position of the circuit controller as it passes through said intermediate position.

From the foregoing description it can be readily seen that with such a circuit con of my invention and explained the operation and principle thereof nevertheless, I' desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a circuit controller, in combination: an operating member having two operated positions and an intermediate position; circuit controlling means governed'by said member and operative when said member is in either of said operated positions; other circuit controlling means governed by said member and operative when said member is in its intermediate position; means for ren dering inoperative said other circuit controlling means when said operating member is moved to either of its operated positions, aid means including an inertia member tending to hold said other circuit CODtIOlliDg means in its inoperative condition while said operating member moves continuously from one of its operated positions to the other of said operated positions.

In a. circuit controller, in combination: an oscillatable member having an intermediate position and two operated positions; means for oscillating said member and for causing said member to be biased to said intermediate position; circuit controlling means governed by said member and effective in either of said operated positions; other circuit controlling means governed by said member and effective in said intermediate position; means for rendering ineffective said other circuit controlling means when said oscillatable member is moved to either of said operated positions, said means including an inertia member governed by said oscillatable member tending to hold said other circuit controlling means inefi'ective when said oscillatable member moves continuously from one of its operated positions to the other of said operated positions.

3. In. a circuit controller, in combination: a member having an operated position and a biased position; means for moving the member to its operated position; circuit controlling devices governed by said member having a circuit closing and a non-circuit closing condition; means including an inertia device connecting said member and said circuit controlling devices whereby said circuit controlling devices are caused to assume their non-circuit closing condition by a movement of said member to an operated position and aused to assume circuit closing conditions only after the lapse of a definite interval of time after said member is moved to its biased position.

4. In a circuit controller, in combination: a member having two operated positions and a biased position; means for moving the member to its operated positions; circuit controlling devices governed by said member having a circuit clOSiIig and a non-circuit closing condition; means including an inertia device connecting said member and said circuit controlling devices whereby said circuit controlling devices are caused to assume their non-circuit closing condition by a movement of said member to either of its operated positions and to prevent said circuit controlling devices from assuming said circuit closing condition when said member moves in not less than a definite interval of time from either operated position to the other, and whereby said circuit controlling devices assume a circuit closing condition after the lapse of the said definite interval of time after said member assumes its biased position.

5. In a circuit controller, in combination: an operating member having an intermediate position and two operated positions; two independent circuit closing devices each governed by said operating member; a pair of fixed contacts for each of said circuit closing devices; one of said circuit closing devices being adapted to cooperate with its contacts in the intermediate position of said operating member, said circuit closing device also being capable of assuming an inoperative condition such that it will not cooperate with its contacts in said intermediate position; the other of said circuit closing devices being adapted to cooperate with one of its contacts in each of the operated positions of said operating member; and an inertia member actuated by said operating member and connected to said first mentioned circuit closing device, said inertia member tending to hold said device in its inoperative position for a length of time greater than the time required for said open ating member to move from one of its operated positions, through said intermediate position to the other of said operated positions.

6. In a circuit controller, in combination: a circuit controlling device comprising two contact fingers combined with a pair of fixed contact posts and tending to be in contact therewith; an oscillatable support for said fingers having a plurality of operated positions; said fingers being contracted by pressure against one of said contact posts when said support is moved to one of. said operated positions: andan inertia member carried by said oscillatable support and connected t said fingers and at times temporarily pre* venting the expansion of said fingers after they have been contracted.

7. In a circuit controller, in combination: an oscillatable member; means for oscillating said member; an arm carried by said member; an inertia member pivotally mounted on said arm; contact fingers resiliently urged apart and operated by said oscillatable member; a pair of fixed contact posts adapted to coact with said fingers; means for connecting said inertia member with said fingers and said oscillatable member for rotating said inertia member about its aXis I a circuit controller having an intermediate position and two operated positions; a circuit capable of being closed in said interme diate position; two other circuits closed selectively by said circuit controller in its operated positions; and means including an inertia member for keeping open said first mentioned circuit when said circuit controller moves continuously from one of its operated positions to the other of said operated positions. r

9. In a circuit controller, in combination: a circuit controller having an intermediate position and two operated positions; an inertia member; means for moving said inertia member in one direction when said circuit controller assumes either of its operated positions; means tending to overcome the inertia of said inem er to cause a movement thereof in the opposite direction; and circuit closing means controlled by said inertia member.

10. In a circuit controller, in combination: an operating member; two members movable relatively to each other and having a circuit closing position; means adapted to coact with said members in their circuit closing position; means tending to cause said members to assume their circuit closing position, said members being moved out of their circuit closing position when said operating member is in either of its operated positions; and an inertia member operatively connected to said relatively movable members. 7

11. In a circuit controller of the type in which a movable member biased to one position may be operated to either of two other positions, in each of which positions a separate circuit is controlled, meansnincluding an inertia member for preventing the closure of a circuit in the biased position, when said circuit controller is operated continuously from one of its unbiased circuit controlling positions to the other.

12. In a circuit controller, in combination: an oscillatable member; operating means for moving said member to differentoperated positions; links connecting said operating means and said member; a centering device 7 for returning said member from either operated position to its middle position; an arm ca 'ried by said member; an inertia member having weighted ends and pivotally mounted at its middle point to said arm; two contact fingers carried by said oscillatable memher and resiliently urged apart; a pair of fixed contact posts adapted to coact with said fingers; links connecting said contact fingers moving said member to different operated positions; means for returning said member from either operated position to its middle position; an arm carried by said member; an inertia member pivotally supported by said arm; two contact fingers carried by said 0scillatable member and resiliently I urged apart; a pair of fixed contact posts adapted to coact with said fingers; and means connccting said contact fingers with said inertia member for causing said inertia member to be rotated about its axis in one direction whenever said oscillatable member is operated from its middle position by said oper ating means and for causing said contact fingers to be drawn closer together at one end 7 in the operated positions of said'members.

14. In a relay, the combination with a pair of relatively movable contact fingers, of an inertia member operatively connected to said fingers and displaced by their relative movement.

15. In a circuit controller, the combination of a movable support, a contacting j member movably supported by said movable support, and an inertia member connected to said contacting member and moved when said contacting member moves relatively to said movable support.

16. In a circuit controller in combination: a contact block; means for oscillating said block; relatively movable contact fingers supported by said block, said fingers. being arranged opposite to each other and being resiliently urged apart; an arm secured to said block and movable therewith; and means carried by said arm for retarding the relative movement of said contact fingers.

17. In a circuit controller, in combination: a contact block; means for oscillating said block to different operated positions, means for returning said block from either operated position to its middle position; an arm carried by said block; two relatively movable contact fingers supported opposite to each other on opposite sides of said bloc means for resiliently urging said contact fingers apart; and means carried by said arm and connected to said fingers for retarding the relative movement of said fingers.

RICHARD o. LEAKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofi Eatents,

Washington, D. G. i 

